madrassatenglish: 01/03/16

dimanche 3 janvier 2016

Phrasal Verbs/L

Phrasal verbs beginning with L. Select a phrasal verb for more details.

lash out

to verbally or physically attack someone or something

laugh off

to joke about something in order to make it seem less serious

launch into

to start off something, like a speech or a song, in an energetic way

lay aside

to keep something for the future, such as money

lay down

to officially state something like a policy, or rules, regulations, conditions, guidelines, etc.

lay into (1) INFORMAL

to attack someone and repeatedly punch and kick them

lay into (2) INFORMAL

If you lay into someone, you criticize them in an angry way.

lay off

If you lay someone off, you stop employing them and tell them they no longer have a job.

lay out (1)

If you lay things out, you spread them out so they're easy to see or easy to use.

lay out (2)

to explain an idea or a plan clearly and in detail

laze around

to relax and do very little

lead to

to cause something to happen

lead up to

If a period of time or a series of events leads up to a particular event, it happens just before it.

leave behind

If you left something behind, you forgot to bring it with you.

leave in

If you leave something in, you don't take it out or cut it out.

leave out

If you leave something out, you don't include it or count it.

leave to

to give someone responsibility for dealing with something or making a decision about something

leave up to

If you leave something up to someone, you let them do it or you give them responsibility for it.

let down (1)

If you let someone down, you disappoint them by not doing what they expect you to do.

let down (2)

to release the air from something like a tyre or a blow-up mattress

let go of

to stop holding something or someone

let in

If you let someone in, you allow them to enter a room or a building.

let off (1)

to give someone little or no punishment for doing something wrong

let off (2)

to make something explode

let out (1)

to allow somebody or something to leave a place

let out (2)

to make a particular sound or noise

let out (3)

to rent a room or a building to somebody

let up

to become weaker or to become less intense

level with INFORMAL

If you level with someone, you tell them the truth about something.

lie down

to lie on a flat surface, such as a bed, usually to have a rest

lift up

to move something to a higher position

light up

If something lights up, it becomes full of light or colour.

lighten up INFORMAL

to become less serious or more easy-going

line up

If you line up, you join a line of people standing one behind the other, or side by side.

listen in

to try to hear what people are saying when they don't know you're listening

live down

to have people forget about something embarrassing or silly that you've done

live for

to believe that something or someone gives your life meaning, or gives you a reason to live

live off

to depend on something for the money or food you need to live

live on

If you live on a certain amount of money, you spend that much on your usual living expenses.

live together

If two people live together, they live in the same place and are in a sexual relationship without being married.

live up to

to be as good as expected

live with

to accept something in your life that you cannot change, even though you don't like it or want it

lock up

to lock the doors and windows of a building or a car to make it secure

log in

to do certain things, like typing in a user name and password, in order to access an online application or a computer network

log out

to stop accessing a computer system, or to stop using an online application

long for

to want something you miss very much

look after

to make sure something or someone has everything they need and is healthy

look at (1)

to focus your eyes on something

look at (2)

to think carefully before doing something

look back on

If you look back on something, you think about a period of time in the past or an event in the past.

look down on

to think that someone is not as good as you are, or not as important as you are

look for

If you are looking for something, you're trying to find it.

look forward to

If you're looking forward to something that's going to happen, you feel excited or happy about it.

look into

If you look into something, you investigate it or you try to find out more about it.

look on

to watch an event or an activity without being involved in it

Look out!

If someone is in immediate danger, you can warn them by shouting "Look out!".

look up (1)

to try to find out something by looking in a reference book or on a reference website

look up (2)

If a situation is looking up, it seems to be getting better.

look up to

If someone looks up to another person, they respect or admire them.

lose out

If you lose out, you fail to benefit from something that others are benefitting from.

Phrasal Verbs/K

Phrasal verbs beginning with K. Select a phrasal verb for more details.

keel over

If somebody keels over, they fall to the floor, usually because of illness or loss of consciousness.

keep at

If you keep at something, you continue doing it.

keep away

If you keep something or someone away, you don't let the thing or the person come near.

keep away from

If you keep away from something or someone, you don't go near the thing or the person.

keep back (1)

If you keep something back, you don't tell someone about it.

keep back (2)

If something keeps you back, it stops you from getting where you want to go.

keep down (1)

If you keep something down, you stop it from increasing in size or number.

keep down (2)

to stop a noise from getting too loud

keep down (3)

to keep food in your stomach even though you feel like vomiting

keep from (1)

If something or someone keeps you from doing something, it means you can't do it.

keep from (2)

If you keep something from someone, you don't tell them about it.

keep in

to make someone stay in a place like a school or a hospital

keep off (1)

to not go on something, or to stop something or someone from going on something

keep off (2)

to avoid something like a certain food or a certain topic in conversation

keep on (1)

If you keep on doing something, you continue doing it.

keep on (2)

If you keep somebody on, you continue to employ them.

keep out

If you keep something out, you make sure it stays outside and doesn't come inside.

keep out of

If you keep out of something, you don't get involved in it.

keep to

If you keep to something like a limit, a budget or a schedule, you don't go over it or outside it.

keep up (1)

to continue doing something that has been successful

keep up (2)

If you keep up with someone, you stay at the same level and don't fall behind them.

keep up (3)

If somebody or something keeps you up, you cannot go to bed.

key in

to press the keys of a keyboard or a keypad in order to enter data

kick against

to show anger or opposition to something, especially if you're powerless to change it

kick around (1) INFORMAL

to discuss ideas or options in an informal way

kick around (2) INFORMAL

to treat someone badly

kick back INFORMAL

to relax and "take it easy"

kick in INFORMAL

If something kicks in, it starts to work or it starts to have an effect.

kick off (1) INFORMAL

to start something like a game, a meeting or a concert

kick off (2) INFORMAL

to force someone to leave something like a team or a committee

kick out INFORMAL

If somebody is kicked out of a place, they are forced to leave.

kick over

If you kick something over, you make it fall over by kicking it.

kid around INFORMAL

to have fun by acting in a silly way

kill off

to cause the death of a whole population or an entire species

kneel down

If you kneel down, you lower your height by putting one or both knees on the floor.

knock around (1) INFORMAL

to hit or kick somebody repeatedly

knock around (2) INFORMAL

If you knock around with someone, you spend time together because you're friends.

knock back (1) INFORMAL

to take a drink, usually alcoholic

knock back (2) INFORMAL

to reject someone or something or to refuse a request for something

knock down (1)

If something like a building or a wall is knocked down, it is destroyed on purpose.

knock down (2)

to hit someone with a vehicle

knock off (1) INFORMAL

to stop work for the day

knock off (2) INFORMAL

to steal something

knock off (3) INFORMAL

to murder somebody

knock off (4) INFORMAL

to reduce something, like a price or an amount

knock out (1)

If you are knocked out, you are hit so hard that you lose consciousness.

knock out (2) INFORMAL

If you knock somebody out, you impress them very much with something you do, or something you make.

knock out (3)

If you knock somebody out of a competition, they cannot continue because you've defeated them.

knock over (1)

to hit somebody with a vehicle and injure or kill them

knock over (2) INFORMAL

to rob something like a bank or a shop

knock together

to make something quickly, or without putting too much thought into details

knock up (1) INFORMAL

to make something quickly and without too much effort

knock up (2)

to make a woman pregnant

know of

If you know of something, you are aware of it.

known as

to be called a certain name, even though it mightn't be a real or official name

known for

to be well-known for something or famous for something

knuckle down INFORMAL

If you knuckle down, you start to take your work or your task seriously and do it properly.

Phrasal Verbs/J

Phrasal verbs beginning with J. Select a phrasal verb for more details.

jack up (1) INFORMAL

to increase the price or the cost of something by a large amount

jack up (2)

If you jack something up, you use a jack to lift it off the ground.

jam into

to force too many things or people into a small space

jam up

If something jams up, it can't work properly because one of its moving parts is jammed by something.

jazz up INFORMAL

If you jazz something up, you make it more exciting and more interesting.

jerk around INFORMAL

If someone jerks you around, they treat you badly or they deceive you in some way.

join in

If you join in an activity, you start doing it with people who are already doing it.

join up (1)

If you join up two things, you connect them.

join up (2)

If you join up, you enter the military in order to train and become a member of one of the armed forces.

join with FORMAL

If you join with someone or something to do something, you do it together.

jot down

If you jot something down, you quickly write it down on a pad or piece of paper.

juice up INFORMAL

to make something more exciting, more impressive, or more powerful

jumble up

If you jumble things up, you mix them up so that they are no longer in their proper order or formation.

jump at

If you jump at something like an offer or an opportunity, you take it with enthusiasm.

jump in (1)

If people are talking and you jump in, you interrupt someone who's talking, or you say something without being asked to speak.

jump in (2)

If you jump in, you get involved in a situation as soon as you notice it.

jump on INFORMAL

If someone jumps on you, they strongly criticise you.

jump up

If you jump up, you stand up quickly.

jut out

If something juts out, it is further foward than usual or it sticks out more than usual.

Phrasal Verbs/I

Phrasal verbs beginning with I. Select a phrasal verb for more details.

identify with

If you identify with someone, you feel you have a connection with them and you can understand them and share their feelings.

impact on

to have a significant effect on something

impose on

If you impose something on someone, you force them to accept it even if they don't want to.

improve on

If something is improved on, it's made better than it was.

incline to FORMAL

If somebody inclines to something such as a certain way of thinking, they will usually think in that way.

indulge in

to do something that gives you pleasure, even though there could be some negative consequences

infer from

to believe something is true because you have some indirect evidence of it

inject into

to add something positive in order to make something work better

insist on

If you insist on something, you say that you must have it or it must be done.

instil in

to condition someone to follow a certain belief or to behave in a certain way

interest in

If you interest somebody in something, you make them want to know more about it.

interfere with

to prevent something from happening in the usual way or stop it from developing normally

invest in (1)

to put your energy and resources into something that you think will help you to achieve your goal

invest in (2)

to put your money into a company or a business venture in order to get a share of any profit it makes

invite around

If you invite somebody around, you invite them to your home for a meal, or a party, or a game of cards, etc.

invite in

If you invite somebody in, you ask them to come inside.

invite out

If you invite somebody out, you ask them to go to a restaurant with you, or to see a movie, or go dancing, etc.

invite over

If you invite somebody over, you invite them to your home, usually for a meal.

involve in

If you involve yourself in something, or if someone else involves you in something, you take part in it.

iron out

If you iron out the last details of a deal, you sort out the final problems or issues.

itching for

If you're itching for something, you really want it.

Phrasal Verbs/H

Phrasal verbs beginning with H. Select a phrasal verb for more details.

hammer out

to reach an agreement or solution after a lot of negotiation or discussion

hand around

If you hand around things like drinks or cakes, you give one to each person in a group.

hand back

to give something back to someone by hand

hand down

to pass knowledge or skills from one generation to the next

hand in

If you hand something in, you give it to someone in authority, like a teacher, a policeman or a security guard.

hand on

If you hand something on, you pass it to somebody else.

hand out

to give something directly to a number of people

hand over

If you hand something over, you give it to someone who has demanded it.

hang around INFORMAL

to spend time somewhere without doing anything useful

hang on (1)

If you hang on to something, you hold it tightly.

hang on (2) INFORMAL

If someone tells you to hang on, they want you to wait for a moment.

hang onto INFORMAL

If you hang onto something, you keep it instead of throwing it away, giving it away, or selling it.

hang out (1)

to hang wet clothes outside to dry

hang out (2) INFORMAL

to spend time in a certain place, or with certain people

hang over

If you feel that you are facing a threat or a danger, we can say the threat or the danger hangs over you.

hang up

If you hang up a piece of clothing or a towel, you hang it on a hook, a rail, a hanger, etc.

hang with INFORMAL

to spend time with

happen to

If something happens to you, an event or an occurrence affects you directly.

have against

If you have something against someone, you don't like them because of something they've said or done in the past.

have on (1)

If you have something on, you are wearing it.

have on (2)

If you have something on at a certain time, you've arranged to do something at that time.

have out

If you have something out, like a tooth or an organ, it's removed from your body.

have round

If you have people round, they visit your home, usually for a meal or for a social gathering.

head for

to go in a certain direction or towards a particular place or situation

head off (1) INFORMAL

to leave a place

head off (2)

to stop something bad from happening

head up

to act as the head of a group or team, or to manage an organization

hear about

If you hear about something, someone tells you about it or you find out about it from an information source like the news media.

hear from

If you hear from someone, they call you, email you or contact you in some other way.

hear of

If you've heard of someone, you know who they are and what they do.

hear out

If you hear somebody out, you listen to them until they've finished what they are saying.

heat up (1)

If you heat something up, you make it hotter.

heat up (2)

If something like a discussion, a contest or a conflict heats up, it gets more intense, more exciting or more dangerous.

help out

If you help someone out, you do something to help them.

hem in

to restrict someone's movement, or to limit someone's freedom

hide away

If you hide away, you go to a place where very few people can find you.

hit back

If someone is beating or attacking you and you hit back, you fight to defend yourself.

hit on

to have a idea or to think of something

hold against

to dislike somebody, or be angry with them, because you blame them for something bad that happened in the past

hold back

to stop someone or something from going forward, or from progressing in some way

hold down

to stop something from rising by pressing down on it or putting a heavy object on it

hold forth FORMAL

to talk about a topic for a long time, often in a way that other people find boring

hold off

to delay doing something until a later time

hold on (1)

to hold something like a railing or an overhead strap so you don't fall over

hold on (2)

to wait for a short time

hold out (1)

If you hold something out, you hold it where other people can reach it.

hold out (2)

If a supply of something holds out, it continues to be enough and it doesn't run out.

hold out for

to wait until you get what you want, especially when negotiating

hold out on

to refuse to give information to someone

hold to

to make someone do what they promised or agreed to do

hold up (1)

to cause a delay, or make someone or something later than expected

hold up (2)

to support something and stop it from falling down

hold up (3)

to steal from someone while threatening them with a gun or a similar weapon

hook up (1)

If you hook up things like computers and their peripherals, or the components of a home theatre, you connect them with cables.

hook up (2) INFORMAL

to meet with someone and join with them in work, travel or leisure activities

hunt down

If you hunt down someone, you try to find them and capture or kill them.

hurry up

If you hurry up, you try to do something faster.

hush up

to try to keep something secret, especially something that could damage the reputation of a person or an organization

Phrasal Verbs/G

Phrasal verbs beginning with G. Select a phrasal verb for more details.

gather around

If people gather around, they form a group or a small crowd around something or someone.

get across

to communicate something or make something understood by others

get ahead

If you get ahead, you make progress in your career.

get along

If two people get along, they like each other and are friendly.

get around (1)

to move from place to place

get around (2)

to find a way of avoiding something

get at (1)

to get hold of something

get at (2)

to mean or to imply something

get away

to leave a place

get away with

to do something illegal or immoral and not get caught or punished

get back (1)

to return to a place

get back (2)

If you get something back, it is returned to you after you've lent it, lost it, or had it stolen.

get by

to have just enough of something, like money, knowledge or skills, to do what you want to do

get down (1)

to move close to the ground, or to move from a higher position to a lower position

get down (2)

to quickly write something, often so as not to forget it

get down (3)

to manage to swallow something that isn't easy to swallow

get in (1)

to enter a place or a vehicle

get in (2)

If a train or plane gets in, it arrives at its destination.

get in (3)

to submit or send something like a document, a form or a report

get into (1)

If you get into something like a university, a team, a club, etc., you have succeeded in joining it.

get into (2)

to become interested in something or focussed on something

get off (1)

to leave a means of transport such as a bus or a train

get off (2)

to finish work, or have a break from work

get on (1)

to step onto a bus, train, ship, etc.

get on (2)

If two people get on, they have a good relationship and are friendly.

get out (1)

to move out of an enclosed space, such as a building or a car

get out (2)

If you get something out, you remove it from whatever it's in.

get out of (1)

If you get out of doing something that you don't want to do, you find a way to avoid doing it, such as by making up an excuse.

get out of (2)

to take off clothes because they're uncomfortable or inappropriate

get over

to recover from something like an illness or a shock

get through (1)

to complete a task

get through (2)

If you get through something, you use or eat all of it.

get through (3)

to reach the person you want to talk to when making a telephone call

get together

to meet and spend time together

get up (1)

to get out of bed after having been asleep

get up (2)

to stand up or to get to one's feet

give away

If you give away something, you give it to someone without expecting anything in return.

give back

If you give something back, you return it to whoever you got it from.

give in

If somebody gives in, they stop trying to do something like win a game, a fight or an argument.

give off

to produce something like a smell, a gas, heat or light

give out

If you give something out, you distribute it to many people, usually by hand.

give up (1)

If you give up, you stop trying to do something because it's too hard or because it can't be done.

give up (2)

If you give up something, you stop doing it because it's bad for you.

go about

to do something in a certain way, or to deal with something in a certain way

go after (1)

to chase and try to catch someone or something

go after (2) INFORMAL

to try to get something

go against

to oppose, or disagree with, something or somebody

go ahead

to start doing something, or to continue doing something, usually after being given permission or encouragement to do so

go along with

to agree with someone or to support something

go around (1)

to act or dress in a certain way

go around (2)

to be enough for everyone

go away (1)

to leave or go to another place

go away (2)

to stop existing, or to stop being noticeable

go back

to return to a place, a person, a condition, etc.

go beyond

to be more than, better than, more advanced than, etc.

go by

to move past (in space), or pass (in time)

go down (1)

to become less

go down (2)

to be received in a certain way, or to create a certain reaction

go down (3)

When the sun or the moon goes down, it gets lower and lower in the sky until it disappears below the horizon.

go down (4)

to be remembered or recorded in some way

go for (1) INFORMAL

to try to get something or achieve something

go for (2) INFORMAL

to like a particular type of person, product, style, experience, etc.

go for (3)

to physically attack a person or an animal

go for (4)

to be sold for a certain amount of money

go into

to talk about or discuss something in detail

go off (1)

If something goes off, it stops working because of a power cut.

go off (2)

If a bomb or a firework goes off, it explodes.

go off (3)

If foods or drinks go off, they go bad and aren't safe to eat or drink.

go on (1)

to happen

go on (2)

to keep happening as before, or to keep doing something

go on (3)

If something like a light or a heater goes on, it starts operating.

go on (4)

to talk for too long, or talk in such a way that it annoys or bores people

go on (5)

used when encouraging someone to do something

go out

to leave your home and go somewhere for enjoyment or entertainment

go over (1)

to look carefully at something like a report, essay, document, etc. to check for mistakes or to make improvements

go over (2)

to review something, or look at it again, in order to learn or memorize it

go over (3)

to cause a reaction of some sort, especially from an audience

go through (1)

to look through a collection of things like documents, books, clothes, etc. to find something or to sort them out

go through (2)

to live through a bad time or a difficult situation

go together (1)

If two things go together, they look good together or they harmonize.

go together (2)

to happen together, or to often occur at the same time

go under

If a company goes under, it goes out of business and closes down.

go up

If something like a price or a rate goes up, it becomes higher.

go with

If one thing goes with another, they look good together or seems to work well together.

go without

to not have something that you used to have because conditions have changed and it's no longer available or affordable

grow on

If something grows on you, you gradually start to like it, even though you didn't like it much at first.

grow out of

If you grow out of something, you become too big for it or too old for it.

grow up

to change from being a child to being an adult, or from being an immature adult to being a mature adult

Phrasal Verbs/F

Phrasal verbs beginning with F. Select a phrasal verb for more details.

face up to

If you face up to a difficult or challenging situation, you accept that you have to deal with it, and then do something about it.

face with

If you are faced with something like a problem or a challenge, you have to deal with it.

factor in

to include a certain item when calculating or planning something

fade away

to slowly become weaker, softer or dimmer

fall apart

If something falls apart, it breaks into pieces or parts start falling off.

fall back on

to use or do something else because what you used or did first has failed

fall behind

If you have fallen behind other people, they have advanced faster than you and they are ahead of you.

fall for (1)

If you fall for something like a trick or a scam, you believe it's real or genuine even though it's not.

fall for (2)

If you fall for someone, you fall in love with them.

fall in (1)

If a roof or a ceiling falls in, it falls to the floor because it's been weakened or damaged.

fall in (2)

to form a line by standing side by side or one behind the other

fall off

to become less in amount or lower in level

fall out (1)

If something falls out, it becomes detached from whatever it's attached to.

fall out (2) INFORMAL

If you and a friend fall out, you are no longer friendly because of a disagreement or a problem you've had.

fall over

If someone falls over, they fall to the ground.

fall through

If a plan or a deal falls through, it doesn't work out and it's dropped or scrapped.

farm out

If you farm out work, you pay people outside your company to do it.

feel for

If you feel for someone, you have sympathy for them or feel sad because they are suffering.

fight back

If you fight back, you do what's needed to win a conflict or a battle after being attacked or threatened.

fight off

to try to stop someone or something from attacking you or hurting you

figure out (1)

If you figure something out, you find the solution to a problem or the answer to a question.

figure out (2)

If you figure somebody out, you know what they're like and how they're likely to act.

fill in (1)

If you fill in a form, you complete it by writing in the spaces provided.

fill in (2)

If you fill somebody in, you give them the details about something.

fill out

If you fill out a form, you complete it by writing in the spaces provided.

fill up (1)

If you fill something up, you make it full.

fill up (2)

to fill someone's stomach with food

find out

to discover a fact or information about something

finish off

to complete something, or to eat the last piece of something

finish up

to be in a certain place or situation after a long series of events or a long time

finish with

If you've finished with something, you've done what you needed to do with it and you no longer need it.

fire up

to create enthusiasm or excitement, usually among a group of people or a crowd

fit in (1)

to have enough space for something, or to have enough time for something

fit in (2)

If you fit in, you are accepted by a group of people and seen as "one of them".

fit together

to connect pieces that go together to make something

fix up (1)

to repair something or to improve the condition of something, especially something old or second-hand

fix up (2) INFORMAL

to arrange something for someone

fizzle out

If something fizzles out, it slowly loses its power or strength, and then ends weakly.

flare up

If something like a conflict or an illness flares up, it suddenly becomes worse.

flick through

If you flick through a book or a magazine, you have a quick look at a few of the pages.

flood in

If things flood in, they come quickly and in great numbers.

fob off (1) INFORMAL

to give someone something of low quality or little value

fob off (2) INFORMAL

to try to make someone stop complaining or stop bothering you by telling them something that isn't true, or by giving them an excuse

freak out INFORMAL

If someone freaks out, they get very scared or upset by something.

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